Swivel fittings between vacuum cleaner hoses and wands or tank end adapters of vacuum cleaners are well-represented by a plurality of designs in the art. Examples of such attachments include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,427,456, 2,621,048, and 3,928,715, as perhaps being most related to the disclosure of the present invention. The last identified patent discloses a pair of hose connectors fixed to the opposite ends of a vacuum hose and made integral therewith so that electrical conductors in the hose may be conveniently terminated in the hose connectors. The swivel connection is effected between the hose connector and the end of a wand or canister or tank. A separate spring and corrugated seal is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,621,048, while a corrugated element in U.S. Pat. No. 2,427,456 acts both as a seal and the spring element. While presumably effective to satisfy the needs for which they were designed, the fittings disclosed in these patents do not meet those criteria which are felt to meet the need for a more effective hose fitting.
Specifically, it is desired that the fitting, which will attach a vacuum hose to a wand or tank end adapter, will allow the adapter to swivel freely and seal against air or fluid loss and to increase the seal upon increase in vacuum. It is further desired that the fitting design reduce the need for critical dimensional stability while, at the same time, reduce mold and inspection costs.